Mohammed Kudus has disclosed that Hearts of Oak was his favorite team during his childhood years when he aspired to become a professional footballer.
The 23-year-old West Ham player, who secured a move to Europe as a teenager, has since gained recognition for his scoring abilities and exceptional ball control.
Although he has spent most of his professional career outside of Ghana, Kudus revealed his love for the Ghanaian giants during a recent interview which sought to get him to answer personal questions about him.
“I was supporting a team in Ghana called Hearts [of Oak]. Yes [It was a local team]. It’s in the Ghana league. [The atmosphere anytime they played] was crazy. It’s in the city I grew up. It’s in Accra.”
Despite his love for the Phobians, Kudus started football with the Right to Dream Academy and didn’t get a chance to play in the Ghana Premier League where Hearts of Oak competed. But that was for the better as he would secure a move to FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark where his exploits drew attention from several clubs.
The move to Europe at least draws him closer to his favourite European club during childhood as well.
Kudus says he admired Barcelona and watched them often during his childhood period mainly because of eighth-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
“Which team did I like seeing growing up? Barcelona… What was it about them? Messi, easiest one.
🗣️ 🇬🇭 Mohammed Kudus : "Which team did I like seeing growing up? Barcelona… What was it about them? Messi, easiest one."#3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/N6HYFDlOCR
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) April 12, 2024
Despite Kudus’ love for these clubs, they have unfortunately declined in recent times per their own standards.
Hearts of Oak, despite winning the Ghana Premier League in the 2020/21 season, have struggled to maintain their composure and even struggled to finish in the top four in the last two seasons.
In the ongoing campaign, they currently sit 11th on the log with nine matches to end the season.
Barcelona on the other hand were once a force to be reckoned with in Europe. But their recent performances have seen them miss out on the Champions League title since winning their last nine years ago.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus is serving West Ham fans with an enjoyable performance throughout despite joining only last summer.
The Black Stars player joined from Ajax Amsterdam at the beginning of the season and has already become the highest-scoring Ghanaian player for the Hammers scoring 13 goals to surpass Ghana teammate and captain Andre Ayew.